In a commemorative event on Tuesday 1st March 2016, a graft was taken from the ancient apple tree which still survives in Newton’s birthplace at Woolsthorpe Manor, near Grantham. This is the tree from which it is reputed Newton saw an apple fall causing him to speculate upon the nature of gravitation during the ‘Year of Wonders’ (1665-66), when he achieved his most notable works.

The graft was kindly donated to the University of Lincoln by Woolsthorpe Manor, and it will now be nurtured for up to two years before being planted next to the institution’s new Sir Isaac Newton Building.

Named after one of Lincolnshire’s most famous sons, the Sir Isaac Newton Building will be home to the University’s new School of Mathematics and Physics, as well as the Schools of Engineering and Computer Science.